Toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane



May 13, 1941. F. A. BERG 2,241,578

TOY VEHICLE SIMULATING AN AMPHI BIAN AIRPLANE Filed July 31, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Wade/7'0? M565 ATTORNEY.

F. A. BERG 2,241,578

TOY VEHICLE SIMULATING AN AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE May 13, 1941.

Filed July 31, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- mvsmon fiederz'c/r i 50y BY W ATTORNEY.

Patented May 13, 1941 TOY VEHICLE SIMULATTNG AN AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE Frederick A. Berg, Chicago, In.

Application July 31, 1939, Serial No. cameos Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a childs toy vehicle which resembles an airplane and comprises various features to simulate closely the modern type of amphibian plane.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a childs toy, simulating an amphibian airplane, which includes a manually driven device for operating it on the ground and is propelled by driving mechanism simulating the control stick of an airplane, such driving mechanism further affording exercise for the child which is similar to that of rowing a boat.

Another object of this mvention is to provide such a toy with improved steering means which is readily turn-able, and which also comprises means on the front axle for bearing the feet of the operator thereon in steering the toy and is furthermore shaped to resemble a lower wing, said toy being operable Without any chance of damaging the child or its clothing.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a toy device adapted for children, including a simple yet positive drive which can be readily mounted in and likewise readily detached from the body structure thereof; and which furthermore is rendered as free from friction as possible, so that the device can .be readily and safely operated by small children.

Another object is toprovide, in such a toy simulating an amphibian airplane, a main upper wing and a small lower wing thereunder, and also circuit-equipped lights on the main wing resembling navigation lights. I

A further object of this invention is to provide, in such a toy simulating an amphibian airplane, a series of movable devices which simulate the engines and propellers of a tri-motored plane, said propellers being automatically rotated when the vehicle is operated.

These and various other objects and advantages are attained with this invention as will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein this invention is shown in its preferred form of construction, it being understood that various other forms and modifications may be resorted to for carrying out the objects and purposes of this invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the improved toy vehicle embodying this invention, several parts being broken away to show the interior construction.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device, with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig, 4 is in part a front elevation of this toy, and in part a'vertical section, taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly in section, taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 5, but showing the tire as a pneumatic one.

This application is a. continuation-in-part of my prior application for patent for Toy vehicle, filed May 2-1, 1937, Serial No. 143,994.

This improved toy device is arranged to simulate an amphibian airplane and it comprises a body or fuselage i0 containing two parallel cornpanion portions or side pieces, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. Said body has a wing I l mounted upon the side pieces, by means of brackets 12 and I3; and this wing simulates the wing structure of a monoplane.

This toy device is provided with a pair of front supporting Wheels I4 and. a pair of rear supporting wheels l5, these wheels being encased or enclosed by streamlined fenders l6 and I1. Streamlined hub caps l8 are provided on all of the wheels and fenders; and the wheels may be equipped with solid tires l9, as shown in Fig. 5, or with pneumatic tires 19, as shown in Fig. 7.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the pair of front fenders l6 are mounted on the outer ends of a. pair of tubular housings 20 which have an axle or shaft 22 passing therethru, said axle being fixed to one of the wheels M by means of a pin or the like 23, and the other wheel being mounted on the axle by means of an anti-friction bearing 24.

Wing-shaped casing means 25 is provided on the housing 20. This wing-shaped means is shown herein arranged as a pair of members, one mounted on each of the two housings 20 and the fenders, being secured thereon by the use of flanges 25 and by means of rivets or welding or the like. Said casing means serves as a foot rest for comfortably supporting the two feet of the rider thereon, while it furthermore simulates a lower wing or fin at the front of this toy, positioned beneath the upper main wing.

This particular arrangement or style of mounting, with one wheel [i4 fixed and-the other wheel rotary on the axle 22, is to allow for the driving action of the axle and its attached driving pulley 26 together with the other associated elements during turning of the vehicle, while, at the same time, allowing for a differential action between the wheels themselves, and prevent skidding of one of said wheels during such turning of the vehicle. This front axle 22 with the wheels H thereon, and its housing 20 with the casing 25 thereon, are herein used for steering purposes, the occupant of the vehicle simply placing his feet upon the two portions of the casing 25 and swinging the axle on a central pivot point, thereby directing his course.

The axle housing 20 is mounted on a tubular member or cylindrical element 21 which is slidably inserted and rotatably mounted in the lower end of a corresponding tubular member or cylindrical element 28 which is fixed onto the framework or fuselage H1. The cylindrical element 28 is provided with respective slots 30 and 3| thru which pass pins or bolts 32 extending from element 2?, whereby the structures are safely connected and free rotative motion is provided.

The pulley 26 on axle 22 has a belt 33 placed thereon, which is preferably in the shape of a helical wire spring, as this has been found to flex more readily due to turning movement of the front wheels, and it also assures a positive operation. The upper end of this belt 33 passes over a corresponding .pulley 34 mounted on a shaft 35 which is positioned in suitable bearings in the framework it. Said shaft also has mounted thereon a further pulley and a beveled gear 3? which is in mesh with a corresponding gear 38 mounted on the rear end of a shaft 39 which extends forwardly to a propeller 4| mounted in front of the nose of the airplane structure.

A belt 42 is driven by pulley 36 and it drives a pulley 43 which is secured on a cross shaft 44 which has a gear t5 at each end, each of said gears meshing with a companion gear 46 secured on the rear end of a shaft 4'! which extends forwardly thru a housing 48 provided at the front of Wing H, and carries a propeller 49 positioned at the front of the housing. These two housings 48 simulate engine housings and with the side propellers 49 are mounted forward of the wing H, and in this manner simulate the customary streamlining of the modern airplanes.

With this arrangement, as the front wheels M are rotated, the central propeller 4| and the two side propellers 59 will also be rotated, thereby simulating the engines and propellers of a trimotored plane and also the action of a real airplane, to the delight of the user or operator.

A seat 5| is mounted on the frame-work or fuselage ii! and is supported by several braces 53, the seat being provided with a cushioning top portion 52 thereon for the comfort of the operator,

The operating means or propelling means is positioned forward of this seat, so as to be readily grasped and actuated'by the hands of the operator, and comprises a lever 54 which is pivoted at 55 in the body or framework It), and is provided with an operating member 56 at the top thereof to be grasped by the hands, being'herein shown as a wheel, which simulates the correfixed by a pin or the like 6| to one of the rear wheels l5.

The driving gear 53 is mounted on a stub shaft 62 which is mounted in anti-friction bearings 63, and the driving shaft on is likewise mounted in similar bearings 8-1, thereby assuring ease of operation. The gear 58 and pinion 59, together with their bearings, are mounted in a frame-work 66 which extends upwardly and fits closely in the housing or fuselage I6); and this frame-work with these contained parts is removable as a unit from said housing, by releasing bolts 6'! which secure this frame-work to the housing, substantially as indicated in the drawings, thereby making replacements and repairs simple and easy.

Lateral extensions H are provided on seat 5|, said extensions being braced on an upwardly projecting tail-piece 12 of the fuselage IE3, by brace bars l3, and together simulate the rudder and the ailerons of the conventional airplane.

A pair of wing lights 15 are provided and are mounted at the front of the wing tips, to simulate navigation lights, and they have actual globes 76 therein to which Wires of a circuit 11 lead from batteries l8, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The batteries are housed in a compartment '59 which is provided in the body or fuselage Iii below the rear of wing II, and which has a hinged cover or door 8i) thereon which is arranged to simulate an instrument board; while a switch 8| is mounted on'said door for opening and closing the circuit H to the lamps l5, and other imitation indicators or gauge elements 82 may also be provided on this door or instrument board.

It will be apparent from the above disclosure that with this invention I have provided an improved toy, wherein the wing-shaped foot rest harmonizes with the upper main wing, which together with the streamlined fuselage makes this toy simulate an amphibian airplane, adapted to be a source of real enjoyment to a child for pleasure and education. Many parts of the device, being driven when the toy is in operation, will make the structure more interesting, and its various features will add to the childs enjoymerit. At the same time, the device is safe and is simple of operation and unlikely to get out of order. The center of gravity is also low so that upsetting is practically eliminated, while the use ofanti-friction devices, together with the mountable .drivingmechanism, provides a highly improved construction.

I claim:

I. In a toy'vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane including a body having a pair of parallel side pieces thereon and simulating the fuselage of an airplane, also having a seat and being adapted to be straddled by the operator, front and rear supporting wheels and axle shafts for the vehicle, steering means for the front wheels comprising housing means about the front shaft, a vertical member forming part of said housing means, a corresponding vertical member on the body, rotatablyengaging said member, and means for joining the two members together in rotatable relationship.

2. In a toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane including abody adaptedto be straddled by theoperator, also-front and rear supporting wheels for the vehicle, steering means for the front wheels, including a shaft connecting said wheels, a housing about the shaft, a vertical cylinder forming part of the housing, a corresponding cylinder on the body, andaligned slot and pin means for joining the two cylinders in rotatable relationship.

3. In a toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane including a body having a pair of parallel side pieces thereon and simulating the fuselage of an airplane, adapted to be straddled by the operator of the vehicle, steering means for the vehicle including a pair of wheels and a shaft connecting them and positioned at the front of said body, a relatively fixed housing surrounding the shaft, and means fixed on the body which is connected rotatably with means on said housing for horizontal pivotal motion.

4. In a toy vehicle including a body containing spaced side pieces and having front and rear supporting Wheels thereon, steering means for the front wheels, including a shaft connecting said front wheels, a relatively fixed housing surrounding the shaft, vertical tubular means forming part of the housing, vertical tubular means fixed in said side pieces and receiving said tubular means therein, and slot and pin means on said two tubular means for joining them in rotatable relationship.

5. In a toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane including a body adapted to be straddled by the operator, also front and rear supporting wheels for the vehicle, steering means for the front wheels, including a shaft connecting the front wheels, a housing about the shaft, a vertical member on the housing, a corresponding member on the body, means for joining these two members in rotatable relationship, and easing means on the housing adapted to serve as foot rest means for the operator and being shaped to simulate a lower wing at the front of the vehicle.

6. In a toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane including a body adapted to be straddled by the operator, also front and rear supporting Wheels for the vehicle and a wing on the body above the front wheel, steering means for the front wheels, including a shaft connecting said wheels, a relatively fixed housing surrounding the shaft, a vertical member forming part of the housing, a corresponding vertical member on the body, means for joining said two members in rotatable relationship, and means provided on the housing, being winged-shaped and arranged to serve as a foot rest for the operator and also to simulate a lower wing beneath said front top wing.

7. In a toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane which includes a body having a seat thereon and being adapted to be straddled by the operator of the vehicle, also main wing means on the front part of the body, steering means for the vehicle including a pair of wheels and a shaft connecting them and positioned below said wing at the front of the body, a relatively fixed housing surrounding the shaft, casing means fixed on the housing for receiving the feet of the operator and being wing-shaped to simulate a lower wing beneath said main wing, a vertical cylinder on the housing, a corresponding cylinder on the body, and cooperating slot and pin means for joining the two cylinders in rotatable relationship.

8. In a toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane including a body in the form of an airplane fuselage and having an upper wing thereon,

steering means for the vehicle, including a pair of front wheels and a shaft connecting them, said wheels being provided with pneumatic tires, a housing surrounding the shaft, a pair of rotatably connected means, one being fixed on the body and the other on the housing, and means surrounding the housing providing a comfortable foot rest in steering the vehicle and also simulating a wing located beneath said upper wing.

9. In a toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane which includes a body having a pair of parallel side pieces with a seat thereon, simulating the fuselage of an airplane and being adapted to be straddled by the operator of the vehicle, main wing means on the front part of the body, steering means including a pair of front wheels and a shaft connecting them, located below said wing means, a relatively fixed housing surrounding said shaft, a vertical member forming part of the housing, a corresponding vertical member on the body, means for joining said two members rotatably together, and means on the housing adapted to serve as a foot rest for the operator and being shaped to simulate lower Wing means beneath said main wing means.

10. In a toy vehicle simulating an amphibian airplane including a body having spaced side pieces thereon and simulating the fuselage of an airplane, an upper wing on the forward part of the body, steering means for the vehicle, including a pair of front wheels and a shaft connecting them, a housing surrounding the shaft, fenders for the wheels and being fixedly connected with the housing, a pair of rotatably connected tubular members, one being fixed on the body and the other on the housing, means for joining the two members rotatably together, and means surrounding the housing to serve as a foot rest in steering the vehicle and also simulating a lower wing beneath said upper wing.

FREDERICK A. BERG. 

